noun
tarn
tahn
Tarn (noun) means a small mountain lake, especially one formed in a hollow left by a glacier. Example: “They hiked up to a tarn tucked below the ridge.”
noun
1
A small mountain lake, especially one formed in a hollow left by a glacier.
"In another story the remarkable mystery of the umbrella lost at the shores of a tarn and retrieved at the seaside is explained by the underground communication between the two."
— Linda Dégh, Legend and Belief (1976)
"There Grendel was watching his blood flow out into the seething tarn."
— Norma Lorre Goodrich, Beowulf (1961)
"They hiked up to a tarn tucked below the ridge."
"The tarn was still and dark under the cliffs."
How to use tarn
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small lake high up in the mountains, common in words describing UK landscapes like the Lake District.
Common pairings
mountain tarn
glacial tarn
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Word forms
- Plural
- tarns
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They hiked up to a _____ tucked below the ridge.
Etymology
From Old Norse tjǫrn, meaning a small lake with no streams feeding into it.
Rhymes for tarn
See all rhymes for tarn →Frequently asked questions
What does “tarn” mean?
The word “tarn” means a small mountain lake, especially one formed in a hollow left by a glacier. In plain terms, a small lake high up in the mountains, common in words describing UK landscapes like the Lake District.
How do you pronounce “tarn”?
“Tarn” is pronounced tahn (/tɑɹn/ in IPA).
How do you use “tarn” in a sentence?
Here is “tarn” used in a sentence: “They hiked up to a tarn tucked below the ridge.”
What part of speech is “tarn”?
“Tarn” is a noun.
Where does the word “tarn” come from?
The word “tarn” comes from Old Norse. From Old Norse tjǫrn, meaning a small lake with no streams feeding into it.
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